If you've talked with me or read this blog, it will be no surprise that I am a fan of Warren Buffett. I first became interested in the stock market when I was 13, but it wasn't until I was in my late 20s while attending the Berkshire Hathaway shareholder's meeting that, based on the Oracle of Omaha's discussion, I realized that I was a speculator, not an investor. From that point forward I studied Buffet's approach and that of his mentor, Benjamin Graham. Has it worked? Yes - and while it may be a little more time consuming to develop a better understanding of a company and its value before investing, instead of simply speculating based on a cursory review of fundamentals or using technical analysis, it's far less stressful due to confidence in your position and induces less worry about the bi-polar Mr. Market.
I used to view buying and selling securities as being somehow different than investing in small private companies. Now I view them the same way. Studying Buffett has made me a better business broker, and being a business broker has made me a better securities investor.
Would you like to build the type of business that Warren Buffett would acquire? Following is a link to an article in Forbes written by Tanya Prive and Lisa Lovallo that describes five principles Buffett would follow in evaluating an acquisition of your business: How To Build A Company That Warren Buffett Would Invest In